Loading tray arrangement for a recoiling automatic firearm



Nov. 29, 1955 A. cs. CARLSSON LOADING TRAY ARRANGEMENT FOR A RECOILING AUTOMATIC FIREARM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 27 1951 INVENTOR.

ARENT GUSTAV CARLSSON ATTORNEY New. 2, 1955 A, CARLSSON EJ2 3 97 LOADING TRAY ARRANGEMENT FOR A RECOILING AUTOMATIC FIREARM Filed April 27, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV EN TOR.

ARENT GUSTAV CARLSSON ATTORNEY NW. 29, 1955 A. G. CARLSSON 2,7249%? LOADING TRAY ARRANGEMENT FOR A RECOILING AUTOMATIC FIREARM Filed April 27, 1951 3 sheets-Sheet 5 mmmumur INVENTOR. ARENT GUSTAV CARLSSON BYMlE 'Mam ATTORNEY 2,724,997 Patented Nov. 29, 1955 LOADNG TRAY ARRANGEMENT FOR A RECOILING AUTOMATIC FIREARM Arent Gustav Carlsson, Karlskoga, Sweden, assignor to gkfigbolaget Bofors, Bofors, Sweden, a corporation of we en This invention relates to automatic firearms including a recoil mechanism, and more particularly to the arrangement of the loading tray for firearms of this type.

There are already known loading tray arrangements for firearms of the general type, above referred to, in which the tray comprises two parts, one fixedly secured to the housing of the'firearm mechanism and the other to the recoil mechanism proper. The latter part of the tray includes a revolving member which in a certain position serves as a guide for an empty shell casing being thrown out. While such an arrangement operates rather satisfactorily, it is generally desirable to avoid any fixed connection between a part of the loading tray and the recoil system.

Accordingly, one of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a loading tray arangement for firearms of the general type, above referred to, which is capable of guiding an empty shell casing without having a part fixedly secured to the recoil mechanism. The arrangement according to the invention is particularly suitable for firearms, the ammunition magazine of which is disposed directly above the loading tray.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved loading tray arrangement in which the loading tray is pivotally mounted so that it serves in one position to guide an empty shell casing to be thrown out from the gun and in another position as a guide for a new round of shells to be fed to the gun.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims forming part of the application.

In the accompanying drawing a now preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

Fig. .l is a-fragmentary perspective view of an automatic gun equipped with a loading tray arrangement according to the invention.

Figs. 2 to inclusive are side views, partially in section, of the control and actuating mechanism for the loading tray in different positions, and

Figs. 6 to are diagrammatic views of an automatic gun with ammunition magazine and loading tray in difierent positions of the recoil mechanism of the gun.

Referring now to the figures in detail, Fig. 1 shows the parts of the gun proper and of the recoil mechansm to the'extent it is essential for the understanding of the invention. There are illustrated the housing or casing 1 of the gun mechanism and part of a breech ring 2. An elongated member 3 in form of a rail having a curved guide groove 4 therein is secured to breech ring 2 for movement of rail 3 in unison with the recoil mechanism of the gun. The loading tray of the gun is designated by 23 and pivotally mounted on casing 1 by means of a pivot pin 35. As can best be seen on Figs. 6 to 10, the pivot point 35 is disposed substantially on a curve laid through a magazine clip 36.

The control mechanism for the loading tray comprises two levers 7 and 11 both pivotal about a pivot pin 8 supported in a bracket 9 secured to casing 1. Bracket 9 is provided with a lateral extension 10 the purpose of which will be more fully explained hereinafter. The lever 7 supports a roller 5 by means of a post 6. This roller engages groove or slot 4 so that the pivotal position of lever 7 is guided by groove 4 or more specifically by the recoil movement of the gun. Lever 7 is releasably coupled with lever 11 by an arm 12. This arm is pivotally supported on one end in a slot or recess of lever 7 by mean of a pivot 13. The other end of arm 12 ends in an enlarged head 18 which is engageable with a detention notch or shoulder 14 in lever 11, as can best be seen in Fig. 2. This figure also shows that arm 12 has a cavity or bore therein slidably housing a piston 15 which 11 is engageable with a shoulder or detention notch 37 in a member 20. This member is shown in form of a sleeve slidably guided in a frame or cage 19 secured to gun casing 1. A compression spring 21 within frame 19 biases sleeve 20 toward and against lever 11. The end of sleeve 20 protruding from frame 19 includes an axial slot 38 in which a roller 39 is supported. A hook-shaped arm 22 extending from loading tray 23 is hooked into slot 38, thereby coupling sleeve 20 and tray 23. A tension spring 24 secured on one end to gun casing 1 and on the other end abutting from below against tray 23 biases the tray into the position shown in Fig. 1.

In the diagrammatic illustration of Figs. 6 to 10, corresponding components are identified by corresponding reference characters. The mechanism casing and a jacket are generaly designated by 25. This unit 25 houses a gun barrel 26 which is equipped with a conventional recoil brake 27. There are further shown empty shell casing 28 and a projectile 29 in the barrel of Fig. 6. The loading frame or clip 36 contains four rounds of shells 30 to 33 inclusive when fully loaded.

The operation of the loading tray arrangement, as hereinbefore described, is as follows:

Let it be assumed that a round has just been fired, then the barrel 26 and the loading tray 23 will be in the positions shown in Fig. 6 and the various controlled parts for the loading tray will be in the position of Fig. 2. Immediately after firing of the shot, the barrel will start its,

recoil movement, thereby moving breech ring 2 with rail 3 toward the right as seen in Fig. 1. As a result, roller 5 will be guided in grooves 4 so that lever 7 is pivoted in counterclockwise direction which is imparted through arm 12 to lever 11 and causes an upward movement of this lever. This upward movement will continue until the various components have reached the positions shown in Fig. 3. The upward movement of lever 11 results in a lifting of sleeve 20 against the actions of springs 21 and 24. The loading tray is now in upwardly tilted position as is shown in Fig. 7 which also shows that the recoil mechanism has completed or nearly completed the initial part of the recoil movement. The bottom side of the upwardly tilted loading tray now serves as a guide for the empty shell case 28 ejected from breech ring 2. As the recoil movement continues, extension 10 will push arm 12 out of notch 14 as is shown in Fig. 4. At the same time, lever 11 receives an additional upward movement until it falls downwardly, partly by the action of the spring 21 and partly by its own weight, lever 11 being no longer coupled to lever 7. Tray 23 returns into the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 8 since the tray is no longer held in its upwardly tilted position by lever 11. At the same time, a new shell 30 is fed to the loading tray by conventional means, the detailed explanation of which is not essential for the understanding of the invention. .As can best be seen in Fig. 9, the top side of the now horizontal tray serves as a guide for shell 30 during the loading operation.

During the completion of the recoil movement and the so-called runo'ut, shell so will be rammed home. Bree-ch ring '2 and rail 3 will return into the positions of Fig. i so that lever 7 is now pivoted in a clockwise direction. As a result, arm 12 will be returned by spring '16 into engagement with notch 14. Fig. '10 shows the position of the component parts substantially after completion of the recoil operation.

The entire mechanism is now ready for the beginning of the next cycle.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a certain now preferred example and embodiment of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic gun with recoiling and counter-recoilihg gun barrel having a cartridge magazine and a loading tray pivotal relative to the magazine and the gun barrel between a first pivotal position in which the top of the tray forms a support for a shell to be rammed into the gun and a second pivotal osition in which the bottom of the tray forms a discharge guide for an ejected empty shell casing, in combination with tray moving means actuated by a recoil movement of the gun and operatively coupled with the loading tray for controlling the pivotal position thereof by the recoil movement of the gun, the said moving means comprising a first and second lever each pivotally supported on a stationary portion of the gun, releasable linkage means interposed between the said two levers and coupling the same so as to cause the second lever to follow a pivotal movement of the first lever, guide means coasting with the first lever and controlling the-pivotal positions of the coupled levers, the said second lever being operatively coupled with the loading tray for movement of the same by a pivotal movement of the second lever, the said guide means being controlled by the recoil movement of the gun so as to impart a pivotal movement to the said levers in response to the initial part of the recoil movement, the said pivotal movement of the levers moving the loading tray from its said first pivotal position into its said second pivotal position, and release means actuated by the continued recoil movement and coacting with the linka e means so as to release the coupling between the two levers by the said linkage means prior to the completion 'of the recoil movement for releasing the loading tray to return into its said first pivotal position thereby providing for the ramming of a new shell before the counter recoil movement of the barrel is completed.

2. An automatic gun as defined in claim 1, wherein said loading tray is pivotally supported at the end thereof di tal to the gun barrel.

3. An automatic gun as defined in claim 2, wherein an ammunition magazine for the gun is disposed directly above the loading tray, and wherein the 'pivot point of said loading trayis situated approximatel on a curve laid through a cartridge -clip inserted in said magazine.

4. An automatic gun as defined in claim '1, wherein said linkage means comprise an arm privoted to the first lever and releasably engageable with a detention notch in the second lever for transmitting pivotal movements of the first lever to the second lever.

5. An automatic gun as defined in claim 4, wherein spring means are provided on said arm biasing the same into engagement with said notch.

6. An automatic gun as defined in claim 5, in combination with disengagement means for disengaging said arm from said detention notch for rendering the second lever freely ivotal, thereby releasing the loading tray for movement from said second pivotal position into said first ivotal position, said disengagement means wi -uprising an abutment member mounted on a stationary part of the gun in a position in which the said arm abuts against said member when said levers are moved by the recoil movement into a predetermined pivotal position, the said abutment of the arm against the abutment member moving the arm out of said detention notch in response to a continued pivotal movement of the levers.

7. An automatic .gun as defined i'n claim 6, wherein said guide means comprise a member having a curved guide groove therein and secured to a part of the .gun moving during the recoil movement thereof, and wherein a nose extending from the first lever engages said groove for pivoting the said levers in response to the recoil movement.

8. An automatic .gun as defined in claim 7, in combination with a control means .for the loading tr-aqy slidably mounted on a stationary part of the gun and operatively coupled with the loading tray for pivoting the latter by a sliding movement of said control means, said second lever being .rele'asably coupled with said control means for displacing the same during the said initial part of the recoil movement, the said displacement mov ing the loading may from its first pivotal position into the second pivotal position, disengagement of said arm from said notch of the second lever during the continued recoil movement causing the loading tray to return into its first pivotal posit-ion.

9. An automatic gun as defined in claim 8-, wherein said slidable control means includes a detention notch,

and wherein said second lever engages the said notch! when and while the said arm couples the two levers, disengagement of the second lever from the detention notch of the control means releasing the latter, thereby causing the loading tray to return into .its first pivotal position.

10. An automatic gun as defined in claim 9, wherein loaded spring means bias the control means in a position in which the notch therein is engaged by said second lever.

11. An automatic gun as defined in claim 10, wherein loading spring means bias the loading tray into its first pivotal position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 644,969 Dawson et a1. 1 Mar. 6, 1900 730,801 Schouboe ..a lune 9, 1903 1,674,370 Methlin 'June 19,, 1923 2,489,954 Burn'ey ,NOV. 29, 1949 2,588,429 Summerbell as i Mar. 1'1, L932: 

